Excerpt from Sensitive Plants of San Nicolas Island, California: Phase 2 The California Channel Islands are located off the coast of southern California (fig. These 8 islands represent the emergent portions of a complex system of submarine canyons and ridges in a geomorphic province referred to as the California Continental Borderland (vedder The islands are natural areas known for windswept landscapes, rugged coastlines, and unspoiled beaches that are often teeming with marine mammals and birds. Their floras, rich in endemic species, have attracted the attention of botanists and horticulturists for more than a century. The California Channel Islands are situated between 32 48' and 34 05 N latitude and between 118 21' and 120 27' W longitude, and range in size from to 249 kmz. Maximum elevations on the islands vary from 194 to 753 m. Distances from the adjacent mainland range from 20 km (anacapa Island) to 98 km (san Nicolas Island). The 8 islands in the chain have been divided into 2 major groups: (1) the Northern Channel Islands (san Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Anacapa); and (2) the Southern Channel Islands (santa Barbara, San Nicolas, Santa Catalina, and San Clemente). San Nicolas, the site of this study, is the most isolated of the Southern Channel Islands. It lies 98 km south-southwest of Ventura, with its center near 33 15' N latitude, 119 28' W longitude. The nearest neighboring island is Santa Barbara, 45 km to the northeast. San Nicolas is separated from Santa Barbara and the other islands in the chain by deep ocean channels. The other islands lie 80 - 96 km to the north and about 80 km to the east and southeast. Approximately 58 sq km in size, San Nicolas is an oval-shaped island (fig. 2) about km long and km wide. From the sea, the island presents a low, table-like profile. Its topography is dominated by a broad terrace or mesa with no distinctive peaks; this mesa covers most of the surface area of the island, being roughly km long and km wide (usgs Topographic Map, San Nicolas Island, ca). The main axis of the island runs from northwest to southeast, and the mesa $10pes gently to the northeast from the highest points, which are near the south rim of the terrace. The maximum elevation on the island is 277 m (at Jackson Peak). About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This thoroughly revised, entirely rewritten edition of what is the essential reference on California’s diverse and ever-changing vegetation now brings readers the most authoritative, state-of-the-art view of California’s plant ecosystems available. Integrating decades of research, leading community ecologists and field botanists describe and classify California’s vegetation types, identify environmental factors that determine the distribution of vegetation types, analyze the role of disturbance regimes in vegetation dynamics, chronicle change due to human activities, identify conservation issues, describe restoration strategies, and prioritize directions for new research. Several new chapters address statewide issues such as the historic appearance and impact of introduced and invasive plants, the soils of California, and more.